Extreme heat wave blankets Nashville

Extreme heat dominates Nashville's forecast for the next few days, with high temperatures of almost 100° expected.

Why it matters: This kind of intense heat is dangerous and poses serious health risks.

• "Several days of heat are not going to bode well for a lot of people," National Weather Service meteorologist Caroline Adcock tells Axios.

What's happening: A heat advisory is in effect for Middle Tennessee from 12-7pm Friday. More heat warnings are possible.

• The Nashville Office of Emergency Management will conduct heat patrols Friday and Saturday, with staffers providing water and rides to shelters.
• If you're outside, be sure to drink plenty of water and take regular breaks in the shade.

Don't forget: Temperatures can be even more intense in urban areas. A recent heat-mapping project in Nashville found that parts of the city with "a high density of development" and places near busy streets and parking lots trapped more heat.

The big picture: Our forecast is part of a sweeping heat wave that put more than half of the U.S. population under heat alerts.

Driving the news: This kind of extreme heat would have been "virtually impossible" without human-caused climate change, according to a new study published earlier this week.